Blog #26

Title: Senior Project Reflection

Label: Presentation

Directions: Please answer the following questions and turn it in to the blog.

Due Date: The day after your two-hour presentation by 8:00 A.M.

(1) Positive Statement: What are you most proud of in your 2-Hour Presentation and/or your senior project? Why?

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The activity for the 2-hour really brought light to the subject. I thought every student would hate performing in front of the class, but recieving the accomedations after the presentation proved my insight to be wrong. This was my proudest moment of my Senior Year.

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(2) Questions to Consider:What assessment would you give yourself on your 2-Hour Presentation (self-assessment)? What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project (self-assessment)?
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(AE)       P          AP       CR       NC

I really believed I did a great job presenting the material clearly. To be honest, I think I shined above what was created. I created a well balanced atmosphere in the room, and I made sure that every little detail of the presentation was precise, researched, and clear to understand. I worked very hard for this to happen, and I believe I have done a great job in making the 2-hour work.

(AE)       P          AP       CR       NC

I don't mean to be overly confident but I believe that a lot for Senior Project. I managed to recover and even save the presentation for how terrible it began Senior Year. I manage to complete to very diverse and very difficult independent components. Not only that I was also able to get a very good mentor for my mentor ship this year worth sixty hours. I think I really brought very good insight to this project and I think I did a very good job in the presentation. I really believe that for what it was worth I was went above and beyond with everything in the very end.

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(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

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I believe that my independant components really helped out the most. What worked very well for me was community-based learning I used in both. They showed me through learning how to act, and it brought to my attention that drawing from fellow actors is using your community well. Having acting buddies will stimulate an actors energy level, whether good or bad. The Independant Component 1 taught me that people use the community of actors they are involved with to make their performance fit in with everyone else's performance, while my Independant Component 2 taught me that actors allow themselves to experience the aid of many other actors while they can steadily maintain a solo monologue. The Independant Components were the biggest help.

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(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would have you done differently to improve your senior project if you could go back in time?

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I would make it so I worked more ahead of time. I don't feel like I procrastinated this year at all, but getting a head start would've been nice. I also would've taken more classes to pick up the slack for my failing grades that are in this year.

 

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(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples. 
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It has helped my to learn more about acting and I now have friends in the field in which I can now rely on for future jobs (ie, Gregory Cohen from Mentorship). I would also have to say that it gave me my crowning achievement of discovering my product - If there's one thing in my life that I can say with passion that I have taken away from this Senior Year at IPoly, was the concept of making mistakes. The presentations before this one, mistakes I had with mentorship, as well as Independant Components. It was because of these mistakes, that I was able to create a Senior Presentation worth two hours. I find this also applicable to my own life because you have to make the small mistakes now so you can be sure not to make the big mistakes later. The Product is VERY important to me. It has already helped my to live a better life by not procrastinating and taking the time to learn about things beforehand.
 

Blog #25

Literal

	Day #1	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(3.30 hours)
	Day #2	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(7 hours)
	Day #3	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(10.30 hours)
03/23/13	Day #4	11:00AM – 2:00PM		3 hours	(13.30 hours)
03/26/13	Day #5	6:30PM – 9:30PM		3 hours	(16.30 hours)
03/27/13	Day #6	6:30PM – 9:30PM		3 hours	(19.30 hours)
03/28/13	Day #7	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(23 hours)
04/02/13	Day #8	6:30PM – 9:30PM		3 hours	(26 hours)
04/04/13	Day #9	6:30PM – 10:15PM		3.15 hours	(29.15 hours)
04/09/13	Day #10	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(32.45 hours)
04/30/13	Day #11	6:30PM – 10:30PM		4 hours	(36.45 hours)
05/01/13	Day #12	6:30PM – 10:30PM		4 hours	(40.45 hours)
05/02/13	Day #13	7:00PM – 10:30 PM		3.30 hours	(44.15 hours)
05/10/13	Day #14	7:30PM – 10:30 PM		4 hours	(48.15 hours)
05/11/13	Day #15	7:30PM – 10:30 PM		4 hours	(52.15 hours)
05/12/13	Day #16	12:00PM – 3:00 PM		4 hours	(56.15 hours)
05/17/13	Day #17	7:30PM – 10:30 PM		4 hours	(60.15 hours)
05/19/13	Day #18	12:00PM – 3:00 PM		4 hours	(64.15 hours)

 

Day 1 - Helped in auditioning for the actors

Day 2 - Helped in auditioning for the actors

Day 3 - Assisted in group reading rehearsal

Day 4 - Assisted in group reading rehearsal

Day 5 - Recorded rehearsal through camera

Day 6 - Recorded rehearsal through camera

Day 7 - Recorded rehearsal through camera

Day 8 - Filled in for music number

Day 9 - Took notes on how actors should perform

Day 10 - Took notes on how actors should perform

Day 11 - Took notes on how actors should perform

Day 12 - Learned technical purposes through rehearsal

Day 13 - Operated spotlight during show

Day 14 - Operated spotlight during show

Day 15 - Operated spotlight during show

Day 16 - Operated spotlight during show

Day 17 - Operated spotlight during show

Day 18 - Operated spotlight during show

 

Gregory Cohen, 714-272-1890

Interpretive

–

As I mentioned in my final product for IPoly Exit Interview, I discovered that making mistakes early on helps you not make even bigger mistakes later (like trial and error almost). I figured out that concept can be applied to anything in my life – including my mentorship. My mentorship also allowed me to find more answers to my essential questions, and now I feel like I can present my 2-hour presentation with ease. Basically, the most important thing I have learned from my mentorship is the necessities of acting.

Applied

–

It has helped me to answer my essential question through having the experience that I needed to complete my 2-Hour Presentation. The most important thing I have gained from this experience is that I have learned what's it like to see what the audience is like and how the managing staff is like. Not only was I able to assess all the actors from a different point-of-view for once, but I was able to spot mistakes easier.

	Day #1	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(3.30 hours)
	Day #2	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(7 hours)
	Day #3	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(10.30 hours)
03/23/13	Day #4	11:00AM – 2:00PM		3 hours	(13.30 hours)
03/26/13	Day #5	6:30PM – 9:30PM		3 hours	(16.30 hours)
03/27/13	Day #6	6:30PM – 9:30PM		3 hours	(19.30 hours)
03/28/13	Day #7	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(23 hours)
04/02/13	Day #8	6:30PM – 9:30PM		3 hours	(26 hours)
04/04/13	Day #9	6:30PM – 10:15PM		3.15 hours	(29.15 hours)
04/09/13	Day #10	6:30PM – 10:00PM		3.30 hours	(32.45 hours)
04/30/13	Day #11	6:30PM – 10:30PM		4 hours	(36.45 hours)
05/01/13	Day #12	6:30PM – 10:30PM		4 hours	(40.45 hours)
05/02/13	Day #13	7:00PM – 10:30 PM		3.30 hours	(44.15 hours)
05/10/13	Day #14	7:30PM – 10:30 PM		4 hours	(48.15 hours)
05/11/13	Day #15	7:30PM – 10:30 PM		4 hours	(52.15 hours)
05/12/13	Day #16	12:00PM – 3:00 PM		4 hours	(56.15 hours)
05/17/13	Day #17	7:30PM – 10:30 PM		4 hours	(60.15 hours)
05/19/13	Day #18	12:00PM – 3:00 PM		4 hours	(64.15 hours)

Blog #24

1) What is your essential question? What is the best answer to your question and why?

My essential question is “How Does An Actor Best Prepare For A Role?”. I found that out of all my answers to the essential question, my best answer was “Using A Community Of Actors To Have A Wide Variety Of Inspiration”.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

I came to this answer by studying all of the elements in my presentation projects. I know that many actors have inspirations, (I do as well) but I really believed it after completing my First and Second Independant Components. In my First Independant Component, I saw all of my fellow actors preparing for their roles in any way they could. The constant barrage of rehearsing and using their character's personality in real life also applied to my Second Independant Component as well. In both “Lady Of The House” and the “Fullerton Theatre Festival”, I was given aid by my fellow actors. They counseled my judgement that the character should go. Using the community of actors and having inspiration from their own preparations, I was able to create my character in the best possible way.

(3) What problems did you face? How did you resolve them?

I'll start from the beginning. The biggest problem I faced was securing a mentor for my project. I attempted to find actors I know, or knew, that could be qualified to be my mentor. It didn't go well as people I contacted never replied. There was even a point that I asked a former mentor face-to-face to help me, in which I never saw her again. I resolved this problem by asking the IPoly Drama teacher, Mr. Hogan, if he could help me in my quest to find a mentor. He helped me find a good mentor, Gregory Cohen, who gave me the best mentorship I could ever ask for. He allowed me to look into his new play, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum”, and help in it. I read parts for him, filled in for absent actors, and more. All while seeing real proffessional actors up close for myself.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

The two most significant sources I used to answer my essential question were my mentorship and independent components. They helped me come up with my last two answers. Other then “Method Acting”, I had no other real answers to go on and research wouldn't change that. Only through experience could I learn this answers myself. Mentorship and the Independant Components gave me this chance. I felt like I was really working towards my project when I was completing all of these assignments. I can now say I really know what my presentation is all about – compared to how the presentation was suffering for most of the first semester.

(5) What is your product and why?

I will never forget my product. In all of my life, I was never able to see such a grand correlation of actors that I discovered in my research. I learned things I never learned before in seeing these amazing people work. Seeing others helped me prepare for my own performance, and in a way, for my life. Life needs inspiration to work in a grand way. My life is my peformance. I have prepared for my performances with research and community, and I have also prepared for my own life with the same attributes. The research that I was able to discover at IPoly High School that will prepare me for my life, and the friends I have made to help me start off correctly.

Extra Posts #10

Ten Extra Posts #10

I've been thinking about something else rather then spend my time writing these blog posts all day long. I've been thinking of what my life is. I think I'll survive as an adult really well, but it's strange. For 18 years, I've been taken care of. Having to almost do nothing to survive. After high school, there is no school. I'm done. I know that's there college, but I am done. Anywhere I spend half of my life now – I'll get paid for it. Not to mention I know what to expect from a job. Who knows with school. But what will happen to my friends? Will we stay in touch? I want to stay in touch and I see no reason why not. But I've never experienced the rest of my life before. Will it be cool? Will it suck like everyone says it does? Time to experience it myself. This will be the only blog post about this. I want to focus on where I am and what I am doing. That's the most important thing. Time to jump blindly to the final battle. The final conclusion to the epic adventure of Dean Nolan. Dean Nolan - the Dancing Machine, “Double D Lion” or the man with the lion's mane, the awesome dark ninja, king of my domain, and most recently – the second half of the Shamrock Jerries. All of these titles I have been awarded when I have been in school. This is what I am. School has taught me so much about who I am (probably more then subjects) ironically. School is good for something. It really is.

Time to end it. Time to end this Senior Project and graduate from my old life.

Extra Posts #9

Ten Extra Posts #9

The time grows near. I've been talking and talking about it, but it's really here. 2-Hour Presentations are right around the corner. It's waiting for my orders to command it. It's time to grab my destiny by the head and tell it that I rule my own world. This is my game, and this is how you going to play it. You know, I am saying this because THANK GOD that I am going the first day, first block, first performance. Some people have to go at the very end. I would die of anxiety if that happened to me. Especially while I am sitting through all the presentations. They say “the calm before battle is terrifying – such a quiet dread” and that has been true in all of my cases.

Extra Posts #8

Ten Extra Posts #8

With this project, I am having trouble deciding what can get me marked down or not. I want to have fun and I want this project to be the epidomy of my struggles – the height of Senior Year. It makes it hard when they say that they will stop the clock when you start “speaking in circles”. If there's anything I can better, it's making a sentence into a paragraph. I know how to drag things out until you ears bleed. I'm not saying I plan to cheat like that, but it's just a little unsettling when you think about it. I must create, what the teachers will deem at their descretion, “new content” with every sentence. If I think I am being timed for my 30 minutes of speech, I might not be. The biggest scary thing I can think of – is 2-Hour Presentation makeups. I barely survived the other two. I hope to God this one will go perfectly.

Extra Posts #7

Ten Extra Posts #7

I may be an idiot for thinking this but I think the Senior Project's 2-Hour Presentations may be a little fun. I mean, they are ours. No one elses. Ours. We can say what we want, when we want, how we want. It makes it a little easier that you don't have to ask your group what you can and cannot do. Add a little fun to your discretion. Make the choices you want to make. That said, all the pressure is on you. As much as I am excited, when I see the clock ticking ever closer to the Senior Projects (2 WEEKS), a shiver goes down my spine. I've always been below average on the student part. If everyone else can, who knows if I can. But I am trusting God and moving forward.

Extra Posts #6

Ten Extra Posts #6

My Mentorship is almost done. Thank God. These giants are being taken out slowly but surely. I have been waiting for this thing to go down since the beginning of my IPoly career, and it finally is tumbling. Though this sounds a little bad or violent, I can assure it's not. It's a massive goal in my life to blow this project out of the water. If I accomplish the Senior Project, I don't think there's anything in my life that can be its equal. Stay tuned for the epic conclusion to all of these grusome projects. They will be completed, and my project will follow.

Extra Posts #5

Ten Extra Posts #5

Slowly, the drain is starting to suck down all the gunk and dirt that is my presentation. Perhaps I said that wrong. What I really meant is that all this year, I feel like there was a massive cluster of presentations and projects that were going to haunt me all of my life (the rest of the year). However, slowly but surely, I see the list starting to down. Fewer and fewer projects will burn away, and I will be free from this burden. I think it's safe to say that this is my grand finale to my school career.

Extra Posts #4

Ten Extra Posts #4

I feel better about my project now. For the first time, I think I'm finally starting to get this. I believe I can pull off this thing. It may be difficult, but nothing ventured – nothing gained. This will allow me to do so much in my presentation, and I know I can get it done now. It's funny really. At the start of my IPoly career, I felt as if doing a 2-hour presentation was impossible. Like running for president or obtaining immorality. But I feel like I can reach and pull it out of the sky. Like the bunches upon bunches of sharpened thorns blocking me from my 2-hour presentation are being burned away by the fires of my passion. And God, it feels good.

Extra Posts #3

Ten Extra Posts #3

This mentorship can drop morale very fast, very dangerously. Late nights are killer when it comes to this school life. It's going to be a race against time to survive this school year. I appreciate my parents so much for taking me here. It is terrible on gas and they are dead tired driving me back and forth. Dear God in Heaven, I hope this works out for, me to graduate and make everyone proud.

Extra Posts #2

Ten Extra Posts #2

I take a drink from my trusty Vault 13 canteen, and tell you this. I am behind and a wittle scared. That's right – a “wittle”. Let's review what I have to pull off before June 10^th. I need to do my 4^th Interview (we should be out of my hair soon), Blog 20 (which will be accomplished along with my three-column chart), Wordsmitten word count (this very post is going towards it), my mentorship hours (this will be done before the year's out with blood and sweat), my research, these ten extra posts, and my 2-Hour presentation that I have to wait for, like the quiet before battle. That's right – it's likremy own Wrestlemania match. It's the most important day of my lifewhen I have to combat destiny itself in a no-holds barred, down and dirty, title match for the Diploma Championship – with the world watching! (I got to get to bed.)

Extra Posts #1

Ten Extra Posts #1

What I am noticing in my Senior Project is just how magical it is to make something come together. That said, I doubt my ability to pull off this presentation when I can barely perform 30 minutes of presention time. However, there is no time to think. I just have to jump in and make this presentation work. Let's rock!

Blog #23

1. Alfonso. West House.

2. Surgery, he likes fixing things including people.

3. Hospital.

4. The vast and different types of topics and the activities everyone will have.

5. "What made you choose your topic?” - Alfonso
I like my project. It’s mainstream and interesting and long to talk about. I love Acting. It's my passion and that's what will lead me to how I go about my future. This is the begining of it all.

Blog #21

Name:Dean_Nolan_______________________ House: East__ Topic Acting __________________________________
THREE COLUMN LOGIC CHART
Essential Question: How does an actor best prepare for a role?
Best Answer: Using the style of Method Acting to develop a system of steady techniques required.
Statements	Reasons	Verification
1) How does an Actor best prepare for a role?	1) Given	1) -------------------
2) The definition of practice in this situation would be the reading of the script as well as studying it.	2) This is the basis of my essential question.	2) http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-Script-Sides-for-an-Acting-Audition
3) There are various problems in seperating your role from your personal life.	3) It's important to specify how dangerous Method Acting can be in my presentation	3) http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20526304_6,00.html
4) It is important to keep the script close to you during practice, or auditions.	4) The script is an Actor's bread, in which the director can then become the butter.	4) http://schooltheatre.org/education/learning/jon-jory-acting/stages-rehearsal
5) It's a key factor to do various voice excercises before you begin acting.	5) This can prevent a loss of voice in which can be very problematic (especially to Voice Actors).	5) http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-Your-Voice
6) Answer #1: Using the style of Method Acting to develop a system of steady techniques required.	6) To prepare for a role, one must spend much time using all their resources to best deliver their performance.	6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_acting
7) It is important to make Acting seen AND felt.	7) An Actor must experience two sides of the same technique to deliver a balanced performance.	7) http://www.choosinglove.com/acting-authentically/
8) It is important to use your fellow Actors and Director to better your performance.	8) This is another key factor to making the audience believe your performance in the show.	8) http://method.vtheatre.net/title.html
9) A person can be overexerted by work.	9) Actors must know the risks of being an Actor in life.	9) http://www.actorsinfobooth.com/industry-news/hollywood/752-jenna-fischers-advice-to-actors
10) Answer #2: Using the training and discipline to your advantage in order to attain that steady balanced state of acting.	10) To be an Actor, you must be able to combat that constant fear of failure in every little part of rehearsals.	10) http://www.classactdallas.com/Library/AoA_5_Discipline.pdf
11) A person must be ready to improvise.	11) Actors must know what to do in the situation.	11) http://www.theactingcorps.com/Site/article-what_it_takes.htm
12) Answer #3: Using a community of actors and have a wide variety of inspiration.	12) Actors cannot survive without others. There is always someone that knows more, or can fill the parts you can't. Inspiration is very important.	12) http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jan/02/top-artists-creative-inspiration

Independent Component #2

LITERAL


(a) “I, Dean Nolan, affirm that I have completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of comprehensive work.”


(b) The main source I used to complete the second independent component hours - is my participation for the Drama Team to compete in the Fullerton Theatre Festival. I have been working on a piece called “Claptrap” in which I played a character named “Harvey” who hit it big with an insane amount of luck. I have completed 50+ hours in the combination of rehearsal and the Festival performance.


(c) I have provided a digital speadsheet of my 50+ hours below.


(d) I have explained in detail below, what I completed in the 50+ hour requirement.

I completed my 50 hour second independent component by participating in the Drama Team to compete in the Fullerton Theatre Festival. The practice began in late November, but I was only able to start getting ready and going to practice and rehearsals in December, which was the end mark of my first independent component - “The Lady of the House.” As one of Ipoly's actors in the the contempary humorous monologue selections, not only did I had a great opportunity to create and actually put my senior project topic to good use by actually using method acting to prepare for a role, but I also got to observe how other actors near me and fellow competitors were able to get ready for their own monologues. From using resources, I was able to gather information and standpoints on how I should deliver my performance of “Harvey” from “Claptrap”. I had to learn using every little source I had, be it my teacher, my stage manager, or my fellow actors – to produce a monologue capable to winning the Festival. In “Claptrap”, I was given the role of “Harvey”. Harvey is an upcoming actor who is very awkward (the irony is stunning), and is telling his roommate about his experience where he was shot by a stroke of good luck by selling an improvised storyboard for a fortune. Since the monologue was a solo act, I did not have a chance to study actor's reactions to me, so it really made it difficult to piece together how I should deliver this performance.

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INTERPRETIVE

My 50 hours of work began when I picked up the script entitled “Claptrap”. I spent a great deal of time studying and rehearsing the script. I had to get to know very well so I could stand a fighting chance in the tournament by understanding my role of “Harvey”. During the rehearsals, I spent most of the time using trial and error in order to perfect Harvey. I had come up with the impression that he was a cross of Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld, and Miguel from El Dorado. I intended to deliver that performance as I saw fit. I managed to get friends to help me out such as Jacob Ruiz in reading other parts of the play with me (the parts where Harvey interacted with Sam), and Mr. Hogan (who coached me and told me exactly what I was lacking.) I spent multiple hours trying to deliver this performance better and better, and it took me even more hours to try and remember the lines to a point where I wouldn't stall in the middle of the performance. Most of my time spent rehearsing was during the final weeks where the Fullerton Theatre Festival neared closer and closer. In addition to all the hours spent – I also got many of my hours from the two days of Festival performances and studying how others did their performances for the tournament.

APPLIED

My independent component helped me to understand the essence of my topic better, in which granted me better understanding of how actors work. It showed an actor's spirit in the face of an intense performance that a lot depends on. A tournament was a good way to bring out the stress-level since there was something to prove, not only to yourself, but to the rest of the world. In addition, I was able to observe these people and my fellow actors to make sense of what they were doing could be applied to my performance as well. I spotted how well their performances went over with the scorekeepers and saw what their flaws were as well. My topic, “How does one best use prepare for a role?” was shown to be of the utmost importance when it came to all these performances. I saw what these high schoolers did on their spare time, in which not a second was wasted constantly in preparing and using their own role in modern day scenarios. They would also use games to prepare themselves even better, on terms of improvisation, character spirit, and sharpness. All throughout my 50 + hours of studying these characters and rehearsing for my own performance, I was brought into a world in which you could see feel the spirit of acting and theater no matter the scenario. This entire festival made my passion of acting truly sprout and come alive. Every character in these performances were mixed but all the same. Unsteady but also balanced. It was a perfect blend of skill, innovation, and thought to get to these points and win the tournament. This race to the top of acting was complimented by Fullerton's free performance of the play “ASSASSINS.” They showed us how do they, themselves, get prepared for a role. How quickly and how elegantly it took to do it. In short, I have noticed that stress contributes to how well you are prepared for it multiplys the intensity (and that is good for something like acting.) I also noticed how a sense of community also gets prepared, even when you are delivering a solo performance (like I did.) And even though no-one from Ipoly got to the final round, I can say that this truly was a testiment in finding out what my essential question really means, and goes toward “How does an Actor best prepare for a role?”

• 
  
  
  

  Fullerton Rehearsals	Hours, TW 3:15 – 5:15 Dec - March	24
  Home Rehearsals	Hours, FS 1 hour Feb - March	10
  The Pre-Show	Hours, W 4:00 - 9:00 3/6/13	5
  The Fullerton Festival	Hours, FS 3/8-9/13 9:00-8:00	22

  TOTAL HOURS: 51

Grading Criteria

• Log on a digital spreadsheet
• Evidence of 30 hours of work
• LIA submitted to blog

Blog #20

I couldn't get the Three Column Chart working so I'll input it manually:

Name _Dean_Nolan_______________________ House _East__ Topic Acting __________________________________
THREE COLUMN LOGIC CHART
Essential Question: How does an actor best prepare for a role?
Best Answer: Using the style of Method Acting to develop a system of steady techniques required.
Statements	Reasons	Verification
1) How does an Actor best prepare for a role?	1) Given	1) -------------------
2) The definition of practice in this situation would be the reading of the script as well as studying it.	2) This is the basis of my essential question.	2) http://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-Script-Sides-for-an-Acting-Audition
3) There are various problems in seperating your role from your personal life.	3) It's important to specify how dangerous Method Acting can be in my presentation	3) http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20526304_6,00.html
4) It is important to keep the script close to you during practice, or auditions.	4) The script is an Actor's bread, in which the director can then become the butter.	4) http://schooltheatre.org/education/learning/jon-jory-acting/stages-rehearsal
5) It's a key factor to do various voice excercises before you begin acting.	5) This can prevent a loss of voice in which can be very problematic (especially to Voice Actors).	5) http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-Your-Voice
6) Answer #1: Using the style of Method Acting to develop a system of steady techniques required.	6) To prepare for a role, one must spend much time using all their resources to best deliver their performance.	6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_acting
7) It is important to make Acting seen AND felt.	7) An Actor must experience two sides of the same technique to deliver a balanced performance.	7) http://www.choosinglove.com/acting-authentically/
8) It is important to use your fellow Actors and Director to better your performance.	8) This is another key factor to making the audience believe your performance in the show.	8) http://method.vtheatre.net/title.html
9) A person can be overexerted by work.	9) Actors must know the risks of being an Actor in life.	9) http://www.actorsinfobooth.com/industry-news/hollywood/752-jenna-fischers-advice-to-actors
10) Answer #2: Using the training and discipline to your advantage in order to attain that steady balanced state of acting.	10) To be an Actor, you must be able to combat that constant fear of failure in every little part of rehearsals.	10) http://www.classactdallas.com/Library/AoA_5_Discipline.pdf
11) A person must be ready to improvise.	11) Actors must know what to do in the situation.	11) http://www.theactingcorps.com/Site/article-what_it_takes.htm
12) Answer #3: Using a community of actors and have a wide variety of inspiration.	12) Actors cannot survive without others. There is always someone that knows more, or can fill the parts you can't. Inspiration is very important.	12) http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jan/02/top-artists-creative-inspiration

Blog #11

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 hours Check

Title:  Mentorship 10 hours check (*remember to title it Blog 11, then the name)
Label:  Mentorship
Due Date:  Friday 1/11/13 at 8AM.

Content:

Gregory Cohen Mentor, Hunington Beach Playhouse, 10 hours thus far
______________________________________

Mentorship Day #1 / Example

When I arrived at Hunington Beach Playhouse, I discover that it is indeed not a traditional playhouse, but a library called the Hunington Beach Library. However, there is a small space under it used for some local showings. Still cool, but I learn that is not the correct location 15 minutes to audition from the assistant of Gregory Cohen. I have no car with me, so my Mom has to drive all the way to pick me up and drop me off nextdoor, which apparently it was.

So I get to the new playhouse, and it's smaller then the other one. Grand.

However, everyone is there – happy and chipper for auditions.

I find Mr. Cohen's assistant, Kara, and she asks me to take mugshots of each person after the auditions to make sure that their faces match their personal headshots (professional pictures of themselves.)

Finally, I get to meet Gregory Cohen for the first time. He's happy to see me, good to see, good start.

He actually saw me in the play at the school (I used it for my first Independent Component), called Lady of the House, in which I was the star Antogonist.

As the auditions begin, we start with dance workouts. I think it was to point out the most upbeat people firsts. There were certainly upbeat people, and some even tried to outshine the others. Cohen pointed out at this time, to “Sell” us the material (saw this term used in WWE), meaning they have to make us believe their performance. The play that we are performing is a comedy about “Odd people in Rome”. Cohen's wife said Improv experience was grand. She pointed out that it is very helpful in the play/auditions. She also asked for personal ideas, possibly to stretch or see any imagination and innovation from the auditioners. I also noticed the amazing amount of comedy and fun this audition has. I was always under the impression that auditions are professional interrogations where everyone stares at your awkwardly and there is a dark scary man intimidating the heck out of you. I was only half-right. The audition, however, was welcoming and fun. I suppose this makes sense because it's a comedy broadway after all. Everyone had to dance and sing to piano from this guy called Mike. The auditioners had to write lyrics down from a broadway and sing it. The examples I saw were “My Fair Lady”, “Oklahoma”, “Camelot”, and “Kiss Me Kate”. I noticed the people they attracted. Very old people, very young people, and very middle aged people. If they didn't show off the range enough when they sand their examples, they had to sing “Aaaaaahh” or “Yahahahaaah”. Nearly all had the correct way to introduce themselves and exit – so my theory is that they all took acting classes or broadway classes before, thus meaning they are passionate. When the acting auditions begin, I don't spot Method Acting anywhere. Understandable, I mean realistic acting only comes in handy in movies and stuff like that. By the way, in the middle of all of this – someone recognizes my Zack Ryder shirt so that was very welcoming. Another interesting thing to point out is that they all seem to know each other, so Cohen uses this group of people often it seems. At the end, Cohen and the others determine the callbacks for Wednesday. Unfortunately, there was a guy with a disability and he couldn't find anyway to be in the broadway. Other than that, Cohen was very strictly making the decisions. Only the people who gave it their all made the cut it seemed like. Makes sense.

In conclusion, this one session taught me that auditions can be fun, social, and all-around awesome. I am also going for more hours tommorrow (Tuesday's auditions), so we'll see how much they'll diverge from today's auditioners. I am very happy to see how this is going, as it is very interesting to finally look at the other side of the auditions and spot their reasonings of the you, the auditioner, versus you seeing what they think of you based on your own logical interpretation.

Blog #19

1.  What ESLR have you excelled in most in your senior project? 

I believe I have excelled in "Effective User of Technology".



2.  Please explain why you think you have excelled in this ESLR.

I was able to make a pretty good presentation as well as several microsoft word documents. It was hard but I overcame it as an IPoly citizen.



3.  Provide evidence from your senior project to support your claim (evidence is a photo of something you are doing, photo of something you made, etc).


This is a link to the presentation I made: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1E4_EU8jhfXIkprdVAvPDYCMbDaZgwXXvGlHc4oxLmoM/edit#slide=id.p

It took more than an hour to do.

Blog #18

Title:  2-Hour Meeting Answer #3
Label:  Research
Due Date:  Thursday 2/28/2013 at 8AM



Content:

1.  How does an Actor Best Use Method Acting to Prepare for a Role?



2. The third answer to "How does an Actor best use Method Acting to prepare for a role?" is the using of other techniques like Classical Acting to your advantage as well.



3.  
- Judi Dench, a user of Classical Acting style, has been nominated various times for her acting quality.

- It is common in acting classes to use your environment to help your acting, which is a common theme in Classical Acting.

- In Wikipedia, there are four main acting techniques that all actors should use to their advantage. Method Acting is only one of the bunch. The others being Classical Acting, Stanislavsky's System, and Meisner Techniques.


4.  Wikipedia, as well as various pointouts from acting teachers and fellow actors.


5.  I plan to study the essence of ALL the techniques in acting. Not just one or two. Find every source, and use everything for my senior project.

Blog #17

1. What makes an actor truly great?

2. What do you believe is an essential component to successfully develop a character?

3. How do you know what way is the best approach to play the character?

4. How do you bring the dialogue alive?

5. How do you know what choices to make?

6. What obstacles must an actor overcome to be one with the character?

7. How do you build the character?

8. What kind of research, if any, do you do?

9. Do you keep notes in a notebook and refer back to them?

10. What other influences do you rely on? Personal or outside or both?

11. How much do you use your imagination, vs. personal experience or research?

12. How do you research the best way to play someone from another period in time?

13. When you play a character, do you always have an objective as to where you want to go with that character? If so, how far into the play do you focus? The end, middle or only a couple of scenes in advance?

14. Why do you desire to act?

15. If a scene is not going as expected, how do you refocus yourself?

16. Is there anything you needed to overcome, in order to feel confident in playing anyone of your characters?

17. Do you believe someone can become a successful actor without “formal” training?

18. Do you believe “anyone” can be a great actor?

19. What are the fundamental qualities, someone needs to become a great actor?

20. Have you ever been an acting coach, or would you ever consider being an acting coach?